lightweight camping – Page 9

Christmas Backpacking Gear Update

1 January 2014 / Backpacking, Camping, Outdoor Gear / backpacking, lightweight backpacking, lightweight camping, outdoor gear

I got a selection of new outdoor kit for Christmas – which has lightened my backpack even further, taking nearly 500g off the total.

Blacks Camp Pillow

I have hopefully got the solution to my pillow problems. Having used three different types of inflatable pillows over the last couple of years I think I may now have a durable, lightweight solution.

It is not inflatable so it cannot fail like the other pillows, having tried it out at home it is very comfortable.

Although it looks large it compresses well and rolls back into a fitted pocket. If I then pack this with my spare clothes and sleeping bag in a compression sack it takes up far less room in my backpack than the previous Vango pillow. This pillow is also much lighter then the Vango pillow – something lighter is always a good idea.

Craghoppers Kiwi Convertible Trousers

I needed a new pair of trousers for outdoor use and having looked at a variety of lightweight outdoor trousers I still went back to my favourites the Craghoppers Kiwi Convertible Trousers. I have several pairs of these, in various states of repair – good ones for work and two battered pairs that I have been using for camping and backpacking for a number of years, one of these I had to repair in the summer where the cloth had frayed through use, hence the new pair.

One improved feature of the latest design is a larger second pocket in the cargo pocket that will now hold my mobile phone.

Unfortunately Blacks offered these trousers in only two colours, as I use dark blue ones for work I bought the tan ones – I would have preferred something a bit darker for outdoors use.

Blacks Turbo Gas Lighter

This item is a bit heavier then the refillable Bic lighter I was using, but this lighter has a very strong flame that does not blow out in windy conditions – that’s why it earns a place in my cooking kit.

The webbing strap I thought was useful, but it was secured to the lighter with a bit of useless Velcro, so I have stitched the strap onto the lighter.

Gadget Gloves

I had been planning to buy some lightweight gloves this winter to wear under my larger thermal gloves and to use in the summer when the winter gloves are a bit extreme. Diana bought me these, the light coloured finger tips work on the screen of my iPhone so I do not need to take them off to take a photo or check the map.

Helly Hanson Lifa Dry Thermal Underwear

Diana had bought me a Helly Hanson under shirt for my birthday – and completed the set for Christmas and added a second set (usefully in another colour).

This underwear is state of the art in keeping people warm. Having tried it out, it is very comfortable and warm.

click on the above image for a larger version

This base layer is significant lighter in weight than the previous set I was using.

Including my new headlamp I have yet again reduced the weight of my walking backpack.

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Brecon Beacons 4

24 June 2012 / Camping, Outdoor Gear, Photography, Travel, Walking / camping, coffee, lightweight camping, tea, Wales, walking

It was a wet start to the day so I made my early morning tea inside the tent using the MSR gas stove.

Before lighting the stove I checked it was placed where it would not wobble and I opened and tied back the inner tent door. I lit the stove with the valve open only just enough the give a very low gas flow, so it did not flare and only turned it up enough for the flame to be under my mug and not raging up the sides. Even on this low flame it took just over two minutes to boil a mug of water.

Rhandirmwyn Campsite

By the time we got out of our tents and had breakfast, which included fresh brewed coffee, the rain had stopped and the day promised to get brighter.

Towy Valley

Llyn Brianne Hydropower Station, Dam and Reservoir

Brecon

On the journey down we had terrible coffee at a motorway service station – so on the way home we stopped in a layby and brewed fresh coffee for ourselves.

And then we went home.

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Brecon Beacons 3

24 June 2012 / Camping, Outdoor Gear, Photography, Technology, Travel, Walking / camping, lightweight camping, Wales, walking

Rhandirmwyn Campsite

There is no mobile coverage at all at this campsite – so no overnight blogging.

We got the tents up and sleeping gear laid out before the light rain set in. I cooked my meal on my titanium meths stove using my titanium mug with lid, to keep the rain drops out. I put the burner just outside the tent door, where it got some shelter but did endanger the tent.

Sausage mash and onion gravy

gone!

The Richard’s cooked on gas under the shelter of some trees.

Here is RAP’s fajitas.

RKW had chilli sausage with cous cous – with burnt bits as he had the gas up to high and did not stir the sauce enough – but it tasted fine.

This was followed, for all of us, by chocolate and bottled beer by the river.

We had some dry weather but by 8.30pm the rain was heavy enough that we retired to the tents.

10Ah Power Bank Charger

This was a new item of equipment for this trip – this battery pack should give me about 4 to 5 charges for my iPhone, allowing me to use it for extended periods away from mains electricity.

It is about the size of a small external hard drive – I am storing it in a light padded case that used to hold such a drive – and weighs about 250g, so it is convenient for carrying on lightweight backpacking trips. For extra protection I plan to use a Aquapac 100% waterproof case.

The Power Bank is easy to use – I charged it, overnight, using a charger I had in the office that came with an HTC phone I no longer use. The Power Bank does not come with a charger. The Power Bank has overcharge and shortcircuit protection. If you press the power button four LEDs light up indicating how much charge remains in the unit.

To use plug your your device in using one of the supplied plugs and USB cable or just plug in your own device USB cable – I used an extendable iPhone/iPod cable.

I have used my iPhone all weekend and have charged it using the Power Bank – as I am writing this I have it plugged in charging/powering the iPhone – and about 50% of the power remains.

The phone usage was much higher than on a backpacking trip as I was online, reading from and playing music via the Bluetooth and car audio system for much of the car journey – and I used the iPhone in the tent last night again to read an ebook, play “Pocket Planes” and listen to an audio book for a longer time than normally because of the rain.

With normal backpacking use and careful power management on the iPhone this charger should allow me to be away from mains power for four of five days, including charging my iPod. To get a better estimate of the charging capacity I will test it when at home.

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Brecon Beacons 2

23 June 2012 / Camping, Photography, Travel, Walking / camping, lightweight camping, Wales, walking

Tal-y-bont

Caerfanell

Brecon

Just to get out of the rain.

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Brecon Beacons 1

23 June 2012 / Camping, Travel / camping, lightweight camping, Wales, walking

Here is the view from the car – on the way to Wales – which is a place known for it’s rain, but when we were checking the weather map last night it looked better than the north! Norfolk looked drier but as we wanted to photograph mountains, Norfolk wasn’t an option.

And why not not the north of England – click here.

So the plan is to camp and day walk – the rucksacks were packed so we are camping with the equipment we would have been taking up on the hills, but we are going to stay on a site with showers and toilets. At the moment we are heading to Brecon and from there onto Pen y Fan – I’ve got my waterproof case for my iPhone with me so I should get some photos.

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Be Prepared!

27 April 2012 / Backpacking, Camping, Outdoor Gear, Photography, Walking / backpacking food, coffee, lightweight backpacking, lightweight backpacking food, lightweight camping, outdoor gear, Photos 2012, tea

I want to get plenty of overnight backpacking trips in the year, as practice for some future longer trips – The Speyside Way this summer and the Southern Upland Way summer 2013.

So whilst I have been sorting out the food this week for a trip with Jeremy next weekend I have put together a pack of food for a short solo overnighter, so if I decide to go at the last minute the food will be ready.

As I think the food pack will spend several weeks on the shelf the food had to have a good storage life – so no sausage or salami and the crackers have been double wrapped in cling film.

Menu

Trail Food
Spice and fruit oat cakes, white coffee and dried fruit and nuts

Dinner
Tuna in tomato and onion sauce, crackers, packet of noodles, tomato soup, sesame dessert, apple flakes, tea.

Supper
Hot Chocolate and biscuits

Breakfast
Tea and biscuits
Breakfast biscuits and portion of jam, 2x cereal bars, tea

Trail Food
Honey Chrysanthemum Tea and oat cakes and jam

Extra
Bag of Aldi chocolate buttons

The individual meals are packed in small ziplock bags and then these are packed in a larger ziplock bag.

The only things I need to add to this will be the tea bags and dried milk in my small brewkit – and it is ready to go.

1x Indian spiced tea bag
5x tea bags
3x sugar
salt and pepper
20ml dried milk
1x 500mg paracetamol tablet
1x indigestion tablet
small refillable gas lighter – it gives a stronger flame compared to a disposable lighter

The case is an mp3 case bought at a pound shop.

Update
I have added an “army style” can opener to this pouch – as I have removed the Bantam SAK from my backpacking kitchen, so there is no longer a tin opener in the stuff sack.

I have been finishing this post, whilst waiting to go to a supplier to look at their Cloud Computing solutions, and looking out of the window here the weather is grey, wet and overcast so the above image may well be today’s “Photo of the Day”!

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